


The Gift of You

by ArgentLives



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Cheesy, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 22:43:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9094003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgentLives/pseuds/ArgentLives
Summary: When you're missing someone so much that it's like you're missing a part of you, there's no greater present than having them back.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Noducksinpond](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noducksinpond/gifts).



> written for Lea for the westallen secret santa; just a super short and cheesy christmas fic that i imagine will probably happen at some point in their future

People who try to take over the world over the holidays are really the worst, Iris thinks. Not that they’re remotely good at literally any other time of the year either, but it takes a special kind of asshole to plan for mass destruction on Christmas. The annual West Christmas Eve get-together just isn’t the same this year, with the notable absence by her side, the lack of the steady arm around her waist she’s gotten so used to. She can’t relax until Barry is back home safe from saving the world with the Justice League, because until then everything is just clouded with worry, and the blinking Christmas lights just hurt her eyes, and she can barely even taste Grandma Esther’s famous egg nog. At the very least, she thinks, they’d been able to convince Wally to sit this one out. She feels a little guilty for being grateful that he’s still recovering from his last encounter with an unfriendly meta-human, but she doesn’t think she’d be able to handle double the stress.

They wait as long as they can, but the hours tick by and there’s no sign of Barry, and as the time slides past Christmas Eve and right into Christmas, they have to call it a night. Her dad gives her a strained smile and a hugs her tight, and when he says “He’ll be fine, Iris,” she’s not quite sure if he’s trying to reassure her or convince himself. Back at their apartment, she goes through her nightly routine on auto-pilot before crawling underneath the covers, although she doesn’t go to sleep. The bed is too big and too cold without Barry, so she just pulls the blankets tight around her, shivers, and waits.

It’s not that she’s woken up by the movement when he finally slips into bed next to her, because she’d been mostly awake anyway, but she does feel herself start to thaw. He pulls her into his arms, still smelling slightly like smoke (and she’s curious but not enough to ask for details right now; they’ll have all the time they need later), and she the tight ball of worry in her chest finally unfurls.

“So how was saving the world this time around?” she says, tracing little patterns over his heart. “Can we all rest easy now?”

“Well, it’s definitely safe,” Barry laughs, holding her a little tighter, but there’s something sort of sad in his voice. She pulls away slightly to get a better look at his face, and frowns at the tension she sees there.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” she asks, her mind immediately jumping from one bad scenario to something worse, because any number of things could go wrong on missions like the one he’s just gotten back from. He shakes his head and bites his lip, and looks almost…guilty.

“It’s just…with everything going on, and being gone longer than I expected, and getting home so much later…I didn’t get a chance to pick up your present. And it’s Christmas already. I’m so sorry, and I just…I feel like I really dropped the ball on this one.”

“Oh my God,” Iris says, finally able to breathe again, before bursting into laughter and swatting Barry’s chest. “Don’t do that again! You seriously had me worried!”

Barry pouts, looking torn between confusion and remorse, and Iris kind of wants to kiss him. So she does, because she can, and she’ll never get tired of being able to do just that.

“But I—” Barry starts to say when Iris pulls away, looking flushed and guilty and pleased and flustered, but she puts a finger to his lips to cut off what is undoubtedly yet another apology.

“Barry, it’s _fine_ ,” she says, grinning down at him and propping herself up on her elbows. “Considering your gift giving history, I think I can forgive you if you’re a little late on one. Honestly, all that matters is that you’re home and you’re safe right now.”

“Well…okay,” Barry says, finally allowing a smile. “But I’ll make up for it with your birthday present this year. Just because.”

“Well, if you insist,” Iris laughs, patting his cheek affectionately. “But you know I don’t mind. How does that saying go? Ah, right...your presence is my present.”

“Oh God,” Barry groans, and Iris expertly catches his hands and threads their fingers together before he can hide his face behind them. “You’re even worse than me.”

“Barry, no one is worse than you,” Iris says with a laugh, nestling herself more comfortably against him, feeling warm and content as a wave of sleepiness washes over her. “You’re the cheesiest person I know.”

“Mmm, you love it though.”

Iris scoffs, knowing full well she’s not fooling anyone, and presses her lips against his chest to hide her smile. “Merry Christmas, Barry.”


End file.
